Weft thread holding arrangement



March 4, 1969 R. JAGER ETAL 3,430,665

WEFT THREAD HOLDING ARRANGEMENT- Filed Sa 22, 1967 Sheet 1 of 5 ATTORNEY March 4, 1969 R. JAGER ETAL 3,430,665

WEFT THREAD HOLDING ARRANGEMENT Filed Sept. 22, 1967 sheet 2 of r PR/OQ 467 FIG: 4

ATTORNEY March 4, 1969 R. JAGER ETAL. 3,430,665

WEFT THREAD HOLDING. ARRANGEMENT Sheet 3 of5 March 4, 1969 R. JAGER ETAL 3,430,665

WEFT THREAD HOLDING ARRANGEMENT Filed Sept. 22, 1967 A Sheet 4 of a FIG. /3

ATTORNEY March 4, 1969 R. JAGER ETAL WEFT THREAD HOLDING ARRANGEMENT Sheet i of 5 Filed Sept. 22, 1967 T L u N13. H E d m M? ATTORNEY United States Patent 14,037/66 U.S. c1. lea-115 Int. Cl. D03d 49/50, 41/00; man 35/02 12 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A weft thread of predetermined length released by a weft inserting member in an end position assumed after a pick, is engaged between a face of the weft inserting member and a control means mounted on the slay whereupon the control means is moved to slide the weft thread onto a face of the slay where the weft thread is gripped by the control means until the slay moves to its front dead center position in which the control means releases the weft thread which is sucked into a suction nozzle and held while the weft inserting member returns through the warped shed.

Background of the invention The present invention is an improvement of looms of the type in which a weft inserting member without a bob-bin inserts measured lengths of weft threads into the warp sheds.

It is known to provide looms of this type with suction nozzles which suck in and hold the ends of the weft threads after the weft inserting member has passed the suction nozzle. Since the weft thread ends do not always have the same position when released by the weft inserting member, it frequently happens that the weft thread is not aspired and held by the suction nozzle so that a faulty fabric is produced.

In another loom of this type, suction nozzles are provided which enter the warp shed upon approach of the weft inserting member, and are retracted from the warp shed after aspiring the weft thread released by the Weft inserting member. This construction has the dis advantage that the suction is insufficient to maintain all kinds of weft threads in straight and stretched position. The US. Patent 3,050,088 discloses a loom of this type.

Summary of the invention It is one object of the invention to overcome the disadvantages of looms in which measured weft threads are inserted into the warp sheds, and to provide a weft thread holding arrangement for accurately placing successive weft threads into successive warp sheds.

Another object of the invention is to provide control means for transferring the weft thread ends released by the weft inserting member to stationary suction nozzles provided adjacent the selvedges of the woven fabric.

With these objects in view, the present invention provides a weft control means of either side of the woven fabric and mounted on the slay. When the weft inserting member arrives in the region of the control means, the weft thread on one face of the weft inserting member is engaged by the control means which is operated to slide the weft thread to an adjacent face of the slay where the weft thread is clamped. Thereupon, the weft control means is moved by the slay into the proximity of a suction nozzle, and releases the gripped weft thread end portion which is sucked in and held by the suction nozzle so that the weft thread end cannot be dragged by the next follow- "ice ing weft thread into a warp shed when the weft inserting member is picked in the opposite direction. When the fabric is woven in this manner, short end portions of the weft thread project from the selvedges after being released by the suction nozzle, and these Weft thread ends can be cut off in the loom, or later. In order to assure a reliable engagement between the weft control means and the faces of the weft inserting member and slay, it is advantageous to construct the engaging portion of the weft control means as a brush or as a resilient strip, which may consist of rubber.

One embodiment of the invention comprises a slay having face means, weft inserting means reciprocable on the slay between two end positions for inserting weft threads into warp sheds and having face means forming in the end positions of the weft inserting means, continuations of the face means of the slay, weft control means are mounted on the slay for movement between an engaging position located opposite the face means of the weft inserting means in the end position of the same for engaging a Weft thread end portion thereon held. by said weft inserting means, and a gripping position located opposite the face means of the slay for clamping the weft end portion released by the weft inserting means.

During movement of the weft control means from the engaging position to the gripping position, the weft thread end portion is moved by the same to slide from the face means of the weft inserting means to the face means of the slay.

Operating means are provided for moving the weft control means between the engaging and clamping positions, and for finally moving the weft control means to a releasing position when the slay approaches its front dead center position in which the reed beats the weft thread into the fell of the fabric.

In the region of the fell of the fabric, and adjacent the selvedges of the fabric, suction nozzle means are provided so that the weft thread end portion is released by the weft control means in the proximity of the suction nozzle means which aspires and holds the weft thread end portion, while the weft inserting means begins its return travel through the next following warp shed for inserting the next weft thread.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Brief description of the drawings FIGS. 1 to 6 are fragmentary schematic plan views illustrating successive operational positions of a loom according to the prior art which may be improved by the construction of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary schematic plan view illustrating the loom of FIGS. 1 to 6 provided with the weft thread holding arrangement according to the invention, and in an operational position corresponding to FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary schematic plan view of the loom in an operational position following the position of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary plan view on an enlarged scale illustrating a portion of the weft inserting means cooperating with the weft control means of the invention in the operational position of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a schematic side elevation illustrating a weft thread holding arrangement according to the invention;

FIG. 11 is an elevation on an enlarged scale illustrating a portion of the apparatus shown in FIG. 10 with the weft inserting means and weft control means in the engaging position shown in FIG. 9;

FIG. 12 is an elevation on an enlarged scale, corresponding to FIG. 11, but illustrating another operational position of the apparatus in which the weft thread end is transferred to a suction nozzle; and

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating a modified construction of the weft control means of the invention.

Description of the preferred embodiments Referring first to FIGS. 1 to 6 which illustrate a known loom without the weft thread holding arrangement of the invention, warps are woven into a fabric 5a together with weft threads carried through the warp sheds by a weft inserting means having gripping means 11 at both ends for gripping the weft threads during opposite picks.

On either side of the loom, a thread package 1 supplies the weft thread 9 which passes through eyes 7 and 8 of a rocking lever 2 which is mounted for angular movement about a stationary pivot means 2a. A stationary gripping member 4 cooperates with a movable gripping member 4a which in the position shown on the right side of FIG. 1 presses the weft thread against clamping member 4. Measuring drums 3 are mounted for rotation on the stationary frame of the machine and are provided with clamping and cutting means 6. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, rocking levers 2 swing back and forth between measuring drum 3 and a position located between gripping means 4, 4a and the fabric, and the eyes 7 and 8 guide the weft thread 9 drawn off the supply packages 1.

The operation of the apparatus during two successive picks will now be described with reference to the part of the apparatus shown on the left side of FIGS. 1 to 7, and it will be understood that the part of the apparatus on the right side of the fabric is the same, but takes place at staggered time intervals.

In the position of FIG. 1, the weft inserting means 10 is located on the right side of the fabric in one end position. The weft thread 9 is guided from supply package 1 through eyes 7 and 8 into the proximity of the measuring drum 3 where it is held in a loop by the clamping means 6. The length of the weft thread forming the loop corresponds to the width of the woven fabric.

Rocking lever 2 is about to start an angular movement in the direction of the arrow from the measuring drum 3, which is at a standstill, toward gripping means 4, 4a, and FIG. 2 shows rocking arm 2 in its inner position. Weft inserting means 10 has arrived in its left end position. During movement of rocking lever 2 from the position of FIG. 1 to the position of FIG. 2, an additional section 9b of the weft thread is drawn from supply package 1 since loop 9a is still clamped to the measuring drum 3. The movable gripping means 4a has moved to a gripping position holding the length of weft thread consisting of portions 9a and At this moment clamping means 6 of measuring drum 3 are opened, and the weft inserting means 10 engages the weft thread by the gripping portion 11 and inserts the weft thread during the following pick toward the right into the warp shed, as shown in FIG. 3. The part of the weft thread located between gripping means 4, 4a and the selvedge of the fabric is not inserted so that the inserted weft length is less than portions 9a and 9b together.

During the pick, rocking lever 2 swings back from clamping means 4, 4a toward measuring drum 3, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, and weft inserting means 10 moves into the right hand end position. When arm 2 holds the weft thread in the proximity of the measuring drum 3, as shown in FIG. 5, measuring drum 3 is counterclockwisely rotated and draws a new length of weft thread 90 from the supply package 1, winding the same in a loop. The movement of rocking lever 2 toward the measuring drum 3 also withdraws additional weft thread 9b" from the supply package 1, whereupon clamping and cutting means 6 cut the weft thread and secure the end of the same on the measuring drum. Weft inserting means 10 grips the weft thread by gripping means 11 and travels to the right as shown in FIG. 6 through the next shed to complete an open weft thread loop of hairpin-shape.

While the weft thread is introduced into the warp shed, measuring drum 3, after having stopped, rotates clockwise and measures off a new length of thread 9a, as shown in FIG. 6 so that all parts of the apparatus are in the initial position shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 1 shows the start of the first stroke, FIG. 2 shows the start of the second stroke, FIG. 3 shows an intermediate position of the weft inserting means during the second stroke, FIG. 4 shows the start of the third stroke, FIG. 5 shows the start of the fourth stroke, and FIG. 6 shows an intermediate position of the weft inserting means during the fourth stroke.

In the known loom described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6, it is possible that the end of an inserted weft thread is entangled with the weft thread inserted into the next following shed.

In accordance with the invention, the weft thread holding arrangement is provided in the loom of FIGS. 1 to 4, and schematically illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 which correspond to FIGS. 6 and 1. The supply means 1, the rocking arms 2, the measuring drums 3, and the gripping means 4, 4a are omitted in FIG. 8 for the sake of simplicity.

As schematically shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the slay 17 has a race supporting weft inserting means 10 for movement through the warp sheds between the end positions shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 located in shuttle boxes, not shown. The slay has a rear dead center position shown in FIG. 7, and a front dead center position shown in FIG. 8 in which it approaches the fell 29 of the woven fabric 5a. In the region of the fell 29, and adjacent the selvedges 33 of the fabric, suction nozzles 34 are mounted on the frame of the machine, not shown. Two weft control means 14 are secured to the slay 17 in a manner which will be explained hereinafter in greater detail, and have projecting elastic strips 16 abutting the front face 13 of the weft inserting means 10 when the same arrives in an end position, as shown in FIG. 9. Since the weft thread 9 passes over this front face, it is engaged by the weft control means 14, 16. Thereupon, weft control means 14, 16 is moved downward, and the elastic strip 16 slides downward from face 13 of weft inserting means 10 to the front face 17a of the slay 17, taking along weft thread 9 since weft thread 9 is frictionally coupled with the elastic strips 16, and slides downward on the faces 13 and 1701 until control means 14, 16 stops and holds weft thread 9 on the face 17a of the slag 17 while the weft inserting means 10 is still moving toward the right toward the shuttle box so that it is pulled out of the gripping means 11 of the moving weft inserting means 10 and cannot follow the moving weft inserting means 10 since the end portion 12 of the weft thread which is held by elastic strip 16 gripped between front face 17a of slay 17 and the elastic strip 16 of the weft control means 14, 16.

Referring now to FIGS. 11 and 12, of which FIG. 11 shows weft control means 14, 16 in the position of FIG. 9, the weft control means 14 has a shaft portion 14a located in a tubular sleeve 2 5a which is secured to a bracket 25 on slay 17 and has a slot 27 with a straight main portion and a partly circumferentially extending end portion 28 closed at 21. The lower end of shaft portion 14a projects out of sleeve 25a and has an annular recess in which slide members at the forked ends of a double armed lever 21 are located. Lever 21 is mounted on a pivot 25c supported on an arm 25b of bracket 25 so that angular movement of lever 21 causes movement of weft control means 14 with resilient strip 16 from the engaging position shown in FIG. 11 in which the resilient strip 16 abuts the front face 13 of weft inserting means in one of its end positions and holds the weft thread on the front face 13, to a lower holding position, in which strip 16 resiliently abuts the front face 17a of slay 17 to clamp weft thread 9 on face 17a. During the movement of weft control means 14, 16 in the direction of the arrow 35 in FIG. 11, the weft thread slides from front face 13 of the weft inserting means 10 to the front face =17a of slay 17 and is held between front face 17a and strip 16.

Referring now to FIG. 10, the end of lever 21 is connected by long links to a lever 19 mounted on a stationary pivot means 19a and having a cam follower roller 24 operated by a rotary cam 13 which turns in synchronism with the reciprocating movement of the slay 17 which turns about a shaft 36. The rotation of cam 18 causes reciprocation of lever 21 so that weft control means 14, 16 is moved between the engaging position shown in FIG. 11, and the lower clamping position cooperating with front face 170, while pin 26 moves in the straight portion of slot 27. During further downward movement of the forked end 22 of lever 21, shaft 14a is lowered to a position in which pin 26 enters the transverse portion 28 of slot 27 so that shaft 14a is turned together with elastic strip 16 whose free end moves away from front face 17a of slay 17 and releases the clamped weft thread in the position of FIG. 12.

During the downward movement of weft control means 14, 16 from the engaging position to the holding position, and from the holding position to the releasing position shown in FIG. 12, the slay 17 moves from the position shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, to the position shown in FIG. 12 in which the gap formed between weft control means 14, 16 and front face 17a of slay 17 is located in the proximity of the inlet of suction nozzle 34 which is placed in the region of the fell 29 of the fabric 33. Consequently, the end 12 of the weft thread 9 is sucked into the nozzle, as shown in FIG. 12, and held in the same while the slay moves away toward its rear position and the weft inserting means 10 is provided with a new weft thread and picked from the right to the left, as explained with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5.

FIG. 7 shows the weft inserting means 10 moving toward the right, and when weft inserting means 10 will arrive in the right hand end position, the weft thread 9 will be engaged by the weft control means 14, 16 in the position of FIG. 9 and FIG. 11, whereupon slay 17 will move to the front position shown in FIGS. 8 and 12, while the weft control means 14, 16 first moves downward from the higher weft engaging position to the lower weft holding position, and then turns to the weft releasing position when the front face 17a of slay 17 is located under and in the proximity of the inlet of suction nozzle 12 which constitutes a holding means for holding the weft thread end 12 until the same is pulled out of the nozzle due to the forward movement of the fabric 5a as the same is being woven and wound up on the cloth beam, not shown. The weft thread ends projecting from the selvedges of the fabric are cut off by cutting means, not shown.

In the modified construction of the weft control means shown in FIG. 13, a brush 15 replaces the resilient rubber strip 16 of the construction of FIG. 9. Brush 15 and elastic strip 16 project outwardly from the selvedge and inclined at an acute angle to the vertical front face 17a of the slay, and to the corresponding vertical face 13 of the weft inserting means 10. This facilitates the engagement of weft thread 9 as the same is transported by the weft inserting means 17 into the region of the projecting portion 15 or 16 of the weft control means 14, as best seen in FIG. 9. In the construction of FIGS. 9 and 13, the tubular member a has diametrically located slots 27, and the shaft portion 14a has diametrically projecting pins 26 guided in slots 27.

Due to the slant of the projecting engaging portions 15 or 16, it is preferred to arrange the slot end portion 28 in such a circumferential direction that the weft control means turns in the direction of the arrow 32 from the weft gripping position engaging front face 17a to the weft releasing position in which the end face of the engaging portion 15 or 16 forms a gap with front face 17a, permitting the suction nozzle 34 to aspire and hold the released weft thread end.

As shown in the schematic illustrations of FIGS. 7 and 8, weft control means 14, 16 and suction holding means 34 are provided on both sides of the loom and woven fabric. FIG. 7 shows the weft inserting means 10 in an intermediate position during a pick from the left to the right while slay 17 is retracted towards the rear. FIG. 8 illustrates slay 17 in a position approaching its front dead center position, and weft inserting means 10 approaching its end position and engaging with its front face 13 the end face of the engaging portion 16 of the weft control means. When the movement of the slay is continued toward the front, weft control means 14, 16 will move under the suction nozzles 34, as shown in FIG. 12, and slightly turn to release the weft thread which will be sucked into the suction nozzle 34. The weft thread 9 located in the preceding warp shed is being held by the clamping means 4, 40, as shown in FIG. 4.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of looms having weft inserting means for inserting measured lengths of weft thread into warp sheds differing from the types described above While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a weft thread holding arrangement for temporarily holding a newly inserted weft thread by clamping the same to the front face of the slay, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims:

1. Weft thread holding arrangement, comprising in combination, a slay having face means; weft inserting means for releasably holding weft threads of a predetermined length and being reciprocable on said slay between two end positions for inserting weft threads into warp sheds, said weft inserting means having face means forming in said end positions substantially continuations of said face means of said slay; weft control means mounted on said slay for movement between an engaging position located opposite said face means of said weft inserting means in said end position for engaging a weft thread end portion thereon held by said weft inserting means, and a gripping position located opposite said face means on slay for gripping the weft end portion released by said weft inserting means, said weft control means sliding said weft thread end portion from said face means of said weft inserting means to said face means of said slay during movement from said engaging position to said gripping position; and operating means for moving said weft control means between said engaging and gripping positions.

2. Weft thread holding arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said face means of said weft inserting means and said face means of said slay are substantially vertical front faces located in a substantially common plane and facing toward the fabric being woven.

3. Weft thread holding arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said slay is reciprocable with said weft inserting means between a rear position and a front position; wherein said weft control means has a releasing position spaced from said face means of said slay; wherein said operating means operates in synchronism with said slay so as to 'move said weft control means from said gripping position to said releasing position when said slay approaches said front position whereby said weft thread end portion is released.

4. Weft thread holding arrangement as claimed in claim 3 wherein said weft control means is mounted on said slay for turning movement between said gripping and releasing positions.

5. Weft thread holding arrangement as claimed in claim 3 comprising supporting means for supporting said slay; and holding means mounted on said supporting means and being located adjacent said weft control means in said front position of said slay, said holding means being operable to hold a weft thread end portion released by said weft control means in said releasing position.

6. Weft thread holding arrangement as claimed in claim 5 wherein said holding means has suction nozzle means for attracting and holding released weft thread end portions.

7. Weft thread holding arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said weft control means includes yieldable brush means slidingly engaging said face means of said weft inserting means and of said slay while moving said weft thread end portion on said face means.

'8. Weft thread holding arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said weft control means includes carrier means and resilient strip means projecting from said carrier means and slidingly engaging said face means of said weft inserting means and of said slay while moving said weft thread end portion on said face means.

9. Weft thread holding arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said weft control means include carrier means and elastic means projecting from said carrier outwardly and toward said face means slanted to the same and slidingly engaging said face means of said weft inserting means and of said slay while moving said weft thread end portion on said face means.

10. Weft thread holding arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said face means of said weft inserting means include face portions on the ends of the same; wherein said face means of said slay include face portions on the ends of the same; and wherein said weft control means includes two weft control members mounted on said slay in the regions of said face portions of the same adapted to be located outward of the selvedges of a fabric which is being woven and being alternately moved between said engaging and gn'pping positions by said operating means.

11. Weft thread holding arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said face means of said weft inserting means and said face means of said slay are substantially vertical front faces located in -a substantially common plane and facing toward the fabric being woven; wherein said slay is reciprocable with said weft inserting means between a rear position and a front position; wherein said weft control means has a releasing position spaced from said face means of said slay; wherein said operating means operates in synchronism with said slay so as to move said weft control means from said gripping position to said releasing position when said slay approaches said front position whereby said weft thread end portion is released; and comprising suction nozzle means for attracting and holding release weft thread end portions, and being located adjacent said weft control means in said front position of said slay; and wherein said weft control means includes carrier means and elastic means projecting from said carrier means and toward said face means and slidingly engaging said face means while moving the weft thread end portion from said face means of said weft inserting means to said face means of said slay.

12. Weft thread holding arrangement as claimed in claim 1 comprising a sleeve having an axially extending slot having a circumferentially extending end portion; wherein said carrier means is mounted in said sleeve and includes a follower pin in said slot; and wherein said operating means moves said carrier means in said sleeve in axial direction while said pin moves in said slot so that said weft control means first moves along a straight path between said engaging and gripping positions until said pin enters said circumferentially extending end portion of said slot for turning said weft control means from said clamping position to said releasing position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,928,430 3/1960 Consoletti et al. l39256.l 3,186,444 6/1965 Schaffer 139l94 3,299,912 1/1967 Birrnans et al. l39l94 FOREIGN PATENTS 427,684 7/ 1967 Switzerland.

HENRY S. JAUDON, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

